Belgium

* FIRST GAME: Today vs. Netherlands at Paris-Stade de France. * QUALIFIED BY: Finished second behind the Netherlands in European Group Seven qualifying. * TOP PLAYERS: Young players such as Gilles De Bilde, Michael Goossens and Philippe Leonard will join Cup veterans Franky Van der Elst and Enzo Scifo. * CUP HISTORY: Belgium qualified for its 10th World Cup and fifth straight. Best finish was fourth in 1986. * PROSPECTS: This team must concentrate on outdueling Mexico for second place in the group behind the Dutch.

This World Cup hasn't been kind to favorites. Spain, the world's top-ranked team, went out in the group stage. Brazil and Costa Rica needed penalty-kick shootouts to win their second-round games, and the Netherlands needed just one penalty kick, in stoppage time, to beat Mexico. And No. 2 Germany needed extra time to get past Algeria. U.S. Coach Juergen Klinsmann hopes that trend continues Tuesday when his team plays its first elimination-stage game against unbeaten Belgium.

I enjoyed your column ["We have a problem with Texas (I have a problem with that"), May 28], but couldn't help reading the paragraph about the U.S. being "a large Belgium" without Texas and California to my friend from Brussels. She became irate and went on about how someone could say that, [and that] they don't know anything about Belgium. So for both of us, could you explain what you meant by that comment? Thanks. Jo Wilder via e-mail Editor: I have nothing against Belgium -- rich history, good beer, excellent chocolate, Jacques Brel -- but it is not what you would call a dynamic and innovative world leader.

Another tragedy — this time in the Phillipines. The death toll and devastation is catastrophic. Has America received any sort of relief from countries after Hurricane Sandy, the Colorado flooding, etc.? I admire the good will of America, but we are broke. No ill will intended, and I feel for the lost souls' families, but shouldn't the Phillipines have a plan for this sort of emergency instead of waiting until it happens and then asking the world for support? Did Ecuador offer support?

Queen Elizabeth will visit Paris and Ypres, Belgium, on Nov. 11 to honor Winston Churchill and commemorate the 80th anniversary of the end of World War I, the British embassy announced on Wednesday. In Paris, she is to attend a ceremony dedicating a statue to former Prime Minister Churchill. The statue will stand on the Avenue Winston Churchill, off the Avenue des Champs Elysees in the French capital's fashionable 8th District. Nov. 11 was chosen for the statue's dedication because Churchill returned to a liberated post-war Paris on that date in 1944.

The government won a confidence motion in the lower house of Parliament today, brushing aside opposition criticism of its decision to permit the installation of U.S. cruise missiles in Belgium. The 212-member Chamber of Representatives voted shortly before dawn at the end of a 15-hour debate, endorsing the coalition Cabinet with a 116-93 vote. There was one abstention, and two members were absent. "This government is not a group of bellicose men," Prime Minister Wilfried Martens told the chamber in a final plea.

-- WHERE: Citrus Bowl (Orlando), 12:30 p.m. -- BROADCAST: ESPN, UNI. -- GROUP: F. -- FAVORITE: Belgium. -- OUTLOOK: Belgium likes to play counter-attack soccer but against such a weak offense, there may be a change in strategy. Josip Weber is a classic striker who averages better than a goal a game for his club team in Bruges. Rachid Daoudi, a defensive midfielder, is Morocco's best player. Belgian defender Philippe Albert must serve a one-game suspension for a red card in his team's final World Cup qualifier.

With Robby Ginepri deciding to remain in Marietta, Ga., to practice for a Far East tournament swing, James Blake has won the second singles spot, along with Andy Roddick, in the U.S. -Belgium Davis Cup tie that begins Friday. "At the beginning of the year I had a little spot in my heart that hoped I could earn my way back onto the Davis Cup team and show I can help this team," Blake said in Belgium on Wednesday. Because both teams lost early-round World Group ties this year, this is a relegation match.

Belgium expelled a Libyan Wednesday, calling him a public danger, after he was identified as a suspect in the killing of a policewoman in London a year ago. "A man carrying a Libyan passport in the name of Omar Sodani, who was expelled from Britain, was put aboard a flight to Tripoli, Libya, via Paris this afternoon under police escort," a Justice Minister spokesman said. "He was considered a public danger." He said the Libyan national had entered Belgium with his wife March 8 and had registered as a medical student using the alias Ehmeida Omar Mohammad.

You probably don't realize it, but we are living in an unprecedented historical moment. For the first time, Belgium has managed to be interesting without getting invaded by Germany or abusing an African colony. What's so interesting? In short: Belgium is coming apart. For four months, its 11 political parties have been unable to form a national government because the Dutch-speaking regions want greater autonomy, or even outright independence. Primarily split between Dutch-speaking Flemings and French-speaking Walloons, Belgium was formed as a constitutional monarchy where the non-French speakers were mostly treated as second-class citizens.

"The moment we start forgetting is when history starts repeating itself. " These were the words our delightful young guide whispered to me as the bus road slowly passed the concentration camp. I softly asked him about his thoughts, about his family's reactions. He had told me that he went to the university to be a journalist but could not secure a position. This lovely young man from Belgium was presently working part-time as a tour director hoping eventually to become a writer. Our trip began several months ago with a phone call from my friend and travel agent.

— A letter recently arrived in George Fisher's mail. "Dear George," it began. "Thomas Mossop went to be with the Lord on December 18, 2011. " Fisher, 87, of Palm Beach, is the founder, president and one of the youngest members of the Veterans of the Battle of the Bulge, Florida Southeast Chapter. More and more, he receives letters like this. The U.S. Army calls the Battle of the Bulge "arguably the greatest battle in American military history" because of the number of people who fought and died for the victory.

What is the difference between waffles and Belgium waffles? Belgian waffles have deeper pockets than American-style waffles, which makes them great for holding lots of little pools of syrup. The texture is also lighter and crispier. To make a Belgian waffle, you need a waffle iron with a deeper, larger grid pattern. Most Belgian waffle recipes are yeast-based, to get that crispy texture. But you also can use a waffle batter that uses beaten egg whites for lightness. —Kathleen Purvis, McClatchy Newspapers

Zach Sherman was gearing up for the much anticipated wrestling season, with his sights set on tournament competition throughout November, when the two-sport athlete's plans quickly changed. Sherman, a Plantation resident, received an invitation from USA Judo to compete on the international stage in Belgium, and he made the most of his opportunity. The 12-year-old Sherman took home the gold in two USA Judo International Youth tournaments recently, going undefeated with a combined 6-0 record in the Under-13 division.

KEY BISCAYNE Two lopsided victories in Kim Clijsters' first two matches serve notice to the rest of the draw that after a hiccup at Indian Wells, the Belgian mother is on track to win her second Sony Ericsson Open title in her first trip back since taking a two-year hiatus in April 2007. Clijsters' dominating serve and service return propelled her into a round-of-16 date with defending Sony champion Victoria Azarenka after a 6-0, 6-1 glorified practice session with Shahar Peer on Sunday.

Belgium inflicted an excruciating 3-2 defeat on Friday on a complacent Russian team that apparently thought it was riding an easy tie to the second round of World Cup soccer. With the score 1-1 in the waning moments of the second half, the crimson-clad Belgians blindsided the Russians with a one-two punch, scoring twice in four minutes. The Russians desperately fought back, scoring once, but failed to regain the tie that would have spared them an early flight back to Moscow. Belgium's prize for unexpectedly beating Russia is to play Monday in the knockout phase against soccer superpower Brazil.

The head of the Anheuser-Busch InBev beer giant said Tuesday the global headquarters will stay in Belgium instead of move to the U.S., a choice of the power of tradition over the power of markets. InBev's $52 billion takeover of Anheuser- Busch last year raised fears in Belgium a centuries-old tradition would die if it moved to the U.S., the biggest market for the world's largest brewer. After the annual shareholders meeting Tuesday, Chief Executive Carlos Brito said the logic to stay in Leuven, Belgium was based on heritage.